Ciao! And, Don't Worry, Be Happy!

Well, as of tomorrow I am off on a new adventure.  We leave Syracuse for Toronto at 4 pm.  We'll be spending the night and next day in Toronto then taking off Thursday around 9 pm to Rome, Italy.  

I am very excited about this trip.  It is the 'play hard' part of our (Frank and I) philosophy of life, 'Work Hard, Play Hard'.  It makes us happy.  We are very grateful to be fortunate enough to have opportunites like this through Frank's employment. 

As a double bonus, our kitchen is also being remodeled while we are away.  This too releases the 'happy-bug' within as we have wanted to have our kitchen re-done for many years now.

The concept of  'Happy' has been on my mind lately.  I think about everything in my life.  I think of all my goals and aspirations.  I think of my husband, Frank, my Maggie-Pie, my friends, my family, my clients.  I think of the places I've traveled and the feelings I have about my home and everything that encompasses 'My Life'.  And, the definitive conclusion I am always reminded of is that everything I do in life is so I can experience happiness or create happiness for others.

When it all comes down to it... we do what we do because it makes us happy or we think that it will make us happy.  At the end of my life, whenever it may be, the memories of me should and will be that 'she was happy', 'she lived a fulfilled and happy life'.

Nothing else matters.  So, without drawing this out too much... DO what makes you happy in your life.  DO what creates happiness around you.  LOVE every single minute of it.

Ciao, my friends...
Trace

Haven't Forgotten You!!

Hey there!  I haven't forgotten about you guys.  The past two weeks have just been a whirlwind.  I am getting ready to go off to Europe and get our kitchen remodeled while we are away!

I ended up losing a total of 5 1/2 pounds in my biggest loser challenge with the boys.  This was good enough for 2nd place!  I feel great even though I fell short of my original goal.  Halfway through the challenge I started feeling so much pressure.  So, I re-evaluated what I was trying to accomplish and why.  I was already at a healthy weight for my body in general and for what I do, I was very happy with myself.   I also decided that to take it to the next level and have it mean something, I would have to further refine an already disciplined diet regimen.  I decided that I like my wine on the weekends and the occasional pizza too much to give them up for a six-pack!  Haha!...

Anyway, more later I promise.  I won't have my computer in Europe but Frank will have his and I hope to get on here a few times and let you know how I am keeping up with my healthy lifestyle abroad.  :)

Until next time...
Traci

Checking in!

Wow!  I just noticed it has been 7 days since I posted. 

I had a very busy week, which just ended with our Weekend Warriors!  It was an amazing weekend.  Lots of exercise and good food and great friendships.

I promise to get in here soon and post something with a bit more substance, however, the next 9 days are going to be crazy crazy.  I have Relay for Life coming up this weekend, I have an entire kitchen to clean out for our remodel that is happening when we are away, and then next Wednesday we leave for Europe!!  Yay!

My chance in the Biggest Loser is pretty much toast.  But, I will say that I can be and will be happy with a 5 or 6 pound loss over the 6 weeks.  More about that later...

Until next time,
Trace

The Power of Movement: EASE vs. DisEASE

Our diets are so much a part of our overall health that I spend a lot of time here talking about it.  I implore my clients, friends and family to seriously take their diets into consideration as 80% of their 'total healthy life' equation.  That will never change: 80% Diet, 20% Exercise.  From this we can conclude that if we don't address poor dietary habits we can exercise until we are blue in the face and it won't make a significant difference overall. 

With that said, we also know how important exercise is in our daily lives.  With movement we are 'well-oiled machines' per say, without it... think of the rusted up Tin-Man from The Wizard of Oz. 

To be able to MOVE with EASE through the power of regular physical activiy, which strengthens our heart muscle and all other skeletal muscles, which strengthens our connective tissues, which helps prevent osteoporosis and arthritis in our joints, which all the benefits are so vast I couldn't possibly name them all... is an absolute, sure-fire way, to prevent disease.  After all, can't we break the word disease down to 'dis'-ease?  Without the ease of movement, which our bodies are designed for, we are on a path to dis-ease not only of our movement but of our internal organs that thrive on being active!  Over the last few decades, so much forced or implied movement has been removed by the booming technologies that make it so easy for us to sit on our butts.  Isn't this true? 

Our body, our metabolism, is extremely efficient.  It is not wasteful.  If we don't move our asses, then our metabolism adjusts and only works as hard as it needs to.  Why wouldn't it?  It is perfection.  Our bodies adjust to whatever circumstances we place on it... whether good or bad. 

When we don't move and we eat too much crap, what happens?  Well, just turn on the first episodes of this season's Biggest Loser and question answered... our body adjusts and gets fatter and fatter and less efficient because we are telling it that it isn't required to do much and yet we are giving it way too much food and it miraculously adjusts by expanding. 

On the other hand, if we push it to limits that it is above and beyond what it used to, what happens?  Well, now you just have to turn on a current episode of this season's Biggest Loser and question answered... those previously 'dis-eased' individual's are now of the physical body of an elite athlete.  Don't tell me it can't be done. The human body is versatile and amazing.

So, my message today is... get moving!  Move a little more this year than last, more this month than last, more this week than last, MOVE more today than yesterday. Before you know it... You will have a healthier body and mind. All great accomplishments start with a single step forward.  Nobody said it would be easy, but isn't anything you really want in life worth a lot of hard work?  Isn't the Ease of Movement something that you really want?

Today I Will Give Everything I Have.
Until later... Trace

What Do You 'Choose'?

"One might as well try to ride two horses

moving in different directions,

as to try to maintain, in equal force,

two opposing or contradictory sets of desires"

~Robert Collier

The best of both worlds.  Have your cake and eat it too.  On the fence. 

I'm sure there are many other phrases, analogies, to describe the push and pull of everyday decisions, big and small, that we have to make each day.  When it comes to our health, the bottom line is, we must CHOOSE better health. 

I am the oldest of 6 children.  I have a brother and 4 sisters whom I love dearly (and miss a lot because they all live in different states (IL, FL, OR).  Both of our parents are dead. 

Our father died in July of 1996 at the age of 56.  Our mother died in June of 2006 at the age of 56. 

My father was morbidly obese (his BMI was greater than 40), he had asthma, ate an extremely poor diet and did not exercise.  His stress level was high due to the fact that he worked 3 jobs to support his family among other family stressors.

My mother was obese on and off for most of her adult life (her BMI was greater than 30) and she developed gestational diabetes with her last pregnancy, did not follow doc's orders to control her blood sugar, and subsequently developed Type II diabetes that ultimately led to an untimely death.  She spent the last 9 years of her life in a nursing home.

Both parents cause of death was coronary heart disease.

Lifestyle modifications (Healthy Diet and Exercise) could have saved both of their lives.  They could still be here today.  My father would be 70 years old.  My mother would be 61.

I watched as their health deteriorated and at the time, I really didn't know why.  Growing up I was always involved in sports, was always active and never thought too much about weight and diet.  The exercise regimen I kept along with my young thriving metabolism didn't really raise any red flags as to how it all fit together.

After graduating college, getting a desk job, losing the exercise regime and eating out a lot, I gained almost 50 pounds between 1996 and 2001. 

That was when I had to choose a side.  I had to choose which path I wanted to follow... the one that led to a long, healthy life or the one that my parents followed.  Genetically predisposed to the same ailments and issues they had, I realized that I wanted the former.  It is definately not the path of least resistance.  It is hard work every day of my life.  But, it is worth it. 

I often wonder sometimes how much richer and joyful my life would be (not that it is by any means not rich and joyful)... if my parents were still alive.  I think of all they have missed.  I think of all the things I would like to say to them.  I think about how... if I knew back then what I know now... I may have helped them the way I strive to help my clients, my friends, my family, who are all so important to me. 

To be the optimist that I am 99.9% of the time, I would have to say that the path my parents chose to follow (however misinformed and uneducated that path was for them)... is the Inspiration and  Motivation for why I am here doing what I do.  And, I LOVE what I do.  It is more than just a 'living' for me... it is a PURPOSE.

So, in closing -

Pick a horse... and ride with conviction on your healthiest path

Choose a side... that gives you the best chance for a long, healthy, happy life

Live in the Healthy World... It truly IS the best of 'both' worlds

Have your cake... and eat it only in moderation

Thanks for listening.  By the way - lost another 1/2 pound since yesterday morning! :)

Life is Good... Give it Everything YOU Have.

Trace

On a Roll!

Happy Friday, my friends!  And, it is a happy Friday for me.  My rallying paid off.  No looking back now.  This morning, my 4th Friday weigh in (4 wks of 6 wk challenge) is a svelte-feelin' 147.6.  Yippee!  Granted, not exactly where I 'planned' to be at this point, however, I am grateful for it.  A lot of hard work the latter part of this week has paid off and my week 3 stall is over.  It may only be a pound, but I gotta feeling... that my RALLY has just begun.

Two weeks remain and I am still determined to give it 150%.  I will weigh in every day to keep myself on point for the next 14 days.  I will exercise my ass off (literally).  It's only 2 weeks after all.  Sure hope those boys have this kind of resolve for the next two weeks.  Cuz, if they don't, they may, just may, be in trouble again. :)

Look for more later today.  I have some things to share.

Until then...
Give the day your best!
Trace

RALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, thank you for your comments and words of encouragement!  They really meant a lot to me. 

Sometimes we all need a little rain.... ok, a thunderstorm... in order to appreciate the Sunshine of life.

I had my 36 hour Katrina.  Yesterday and especially today... I am alll about the amazing sunshine of my life!  Yay!

I have jumped head first back into a strict, amazingly wonderful, world of Clean Eating.  I have an AWESOME whey protein smoothie to share with you at the end of this blog.  You don't want to miss trying this one.

So, my friends, THIS is my Rally.  I am back and better than I was a week ago, two weeks ago, three weeks ago.  I have FOCUS, INTENTION, PASSION for healthy lifestyle.  There is no other way to go.  Let me say it again... NO OTHER WAY.  There is no substitute for movement (screw the couch and the TV), there is no substitute for putting nothing but HEALTHY into my body.  I find Energy and Happiness so much easier when I feel good from the inside out!  Not too mention my ABS are looking pretty darn good today!  So, don't give up on me and more importantly DON'T GIVE UP on YOUR JOURNEY!  We learn what we can from our personal Storms, so that we may fully APPRECIATE the JOY of our Sunshine!!!!

Love you guys!  Thanks!
Until Next Time... Traci  (see below for Smoothie)

Do you remember (maybe they still have them out there) those peanut shaped orange candy treats? They tasted like orange creamsicles but more like a sturdy marshmallow like substance?  I used to love them as a kid.  They are sooooo crappy for us, I am sure... well, anyway, this POWERHOUSE of a smoothie tastes just like it!! And, coming in at just under 300 calories it makes a fabulous breakfast, meal replacement or post workout snack!!  Enjoy.

'Orange Candy Peanut?' Smoothie
1 cup 100% Carrot Juice (I use Bolthouse Farms brand from Wegmans in the fruit section frig)
1 scoop Banana Creme Whey Protein Powder
1 TBL Ground Flaxseed
1 cup ice cubes
5 oz water

Blend in blender at high speed till frothy.  Can be 2 servings at 150 each or 1 serving at 300.

Water, Water, Yummy Water!!

More later everyone but I had to share this GREAT idea! 

I love water.  Cold water.  Plain. 

However, I realize that not everybody does.  Yet it is so important to get 2-3 liters of it a day.  So here is something that I used to do alot and forgot about until pulling myself out of my self-inflicted slump yesterday.

All you need is a 1/2 gallon pitcher, 2-3 cups of frozen fruit (no sugar added, strawberries and peaches work great), and filtered water.  Combine 2-3 cups of frozen fruit and fill pitcher up with water.  Give it about 3 hours and then start pouring !  (Minus the fruit, leave it in there)... Tastes AWESOME!  Mine is strawberry water this week.

More later...
Trace

Confessions of a Perfectionist...

Halfway Point...

Me and Mags on Friday night. 

I made it through another weekend.  They are so hard when it comes to eating and drinking.  I did great on Friday night, actually lost a 1/2 a pound from Friday to Saturday morning.

Saturday night was okay.  I did have a red velvet cupcake and a couple martinis. 

Sunday was awesome.  I had my Yoga training class at SUNY and basically broke down yoga postures for 8 hours.  It was great, but I was exhausted from that and boot camp the day before.

Yesterday was a disaster.  I had a few cancellations and found extra time on my hands, which allowed myself to let my physically exhausted body just crash on the couch in front of the tube for almost the entire day.  Which wouldn't be bad if I didn't always want to EAT in front of the frickin' TV.

It's not even like I can say I ate an entire pizza and a pint of ice cream, no, I just ate too much good stuff cuz that's all that is in my house.

Anyway...

All I wanted to do is cry.  Not because I probably ate about 700 calories too many yesterday, but that I feel so out of control when I do.  I have no reason to be down or depressed or feel the way I did.  My husband says I was simply mentally and physically exhausted from the weekend, and perhaps that is true, but wtf...

Pressure... As a self-proclaimed 'Perfectionist', it is my job, my nature to push myself to the limits.  It is like I can't be happy if I am not trying to reach new levels of growth on every level.  While some may say this is an admirable trait to have, it also has it's price. 

Black & White... to most of us perfectionists, things are either black or white and there is no in between.  I know this about myself and have found middle ground over the recent years.  However, there are still days...where I just want to throw in the towel and say I don't give a shit.  Yesterday was one of them.  Today is a new day and I am working my way toward more rational thinking.  I am trying to be kinder to myself.  It's not that easy coming off a Monday like yesterday.

Biggest Loser? Or Big Loser?...  Over the past 24 hours I tried to let some of this pressure off of myself.  Setting lofty goals are definately my forte.  I usually reach them just because of either the sheer competition or the pressure I put on myself.  Can I win this thing?  Maybe.  Not likely but maybe.  Odds were definately against me from day one and the fact that my track has not been 'perfect', they odds get further away.  So, now actually admitting that to myself (and whoever reads this) I am faced with the question... do I give up or move forward?...

Yesterday, I would have said give up.  But, I know me.  One of the positive traits of a perfectionist is we don't give up very easily!  I may not end up THE Biggest Loser, but I definately will not be a Big Loser. :)

Thanks for listening.  I know this was not my most inspirational blogging.  However, maybe someone can identify with one of my low points.

Trace